Community Service 2012

Another day in paradise.  Don't I LOVE where my school is located!  It was a perfect day on May 18th for Community Service Day with sophomores.  As always, we started working at the campground in Dixfield, on our way down the snowmobile trail along the Webb River and into Jack Steele's field (which eventually connects with Back-Kingdom).  In ONE hour, this is what we collected.  Disgusting, really, since we did this same trail last year.  At first I thought we were getting less, and I felt excited about the positive impact I was having (with the help of lots of students).  But there is a "new" shooting range tucked away in the woods (I never saw it, but the boys reported back) that was absolutely teeming with trash.  Lovely.  Thanks guys.  But, we got most of it!

Making our way back to the campground to dump the trash.

The Webb River

Village People in the village of Carthage.  From the hour in Dixfield we headed to Carthage to meet with a woman I collaborated with last year.  She is AWESOME.  We worked around the town hall and then branched onto access trails that go through town and into the woods.  We cleaned yet another shooting range there (I guess every town "needs" one?) and then headed back to the town office for pizza and drinks.  The kids were (are) AWESOME.  Got to know some new ones and got to know some better than before the day outside.

This is Phil.  He is a Carthage local and a bit of a vigilante.  He and I took a solo ride to the dump to dump what we got at the Carthage Town Office (can't let locals drive kids around, so had to go myself).  Then he drove to where we had walked so the kids could throw their accumulated trash into the back of his truck and not carry it all the way back to the town office. 

I stayed at my parents that night (Friday) since I was heading over to Byron to a friend's house so she (and her husband and kids) could show me an alternative way into Little Swift River without using the AT.  I had to stash tarps out there (there is not a lean-to) in case our service learning project was there and in case it rained.  I have to have cover for kids to reflect and be together.  So I stayed at mom and dad's and climbed "The Cliff".  Just a quick walk up around sunset to get my head about me and access the weekend me.  It was crazy beautiful up there - all gold and green.  This image grabs my Grampa's land (the two fields on the far left) and the Milligan Farm on Route 5 (the field on the right with a few structures) - the mountains in between - can't quite spot the Scrog from here, but it is there.

A nice sleep at my parents and then up and out to Byron the back way - coming out past Garland Pond - it was an epically beautiful drive - and equally as beautiful hike on the trail.